Red Apple Rest facts for kids
The Red Apple Rest was a famous cafeteria-style restaurant located in Tuxedo, New York. It was a popular stop for people traveling to the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. Before big highways like the New York State Thruway were built, trips from New York City to the Catskills could take many hours. The Red Apple Rest was almost halfway, making it a perfect place to stop. Reuben Freed opened the restaurant in May 1931.
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A Popular Stop for Travelers
The Red Apple Rest was very busy in the 1940s and 1950s. It was open every day of the year, all day and night. Many different people stopped there. This included families going on vacation and even famous comedians and athletes. These comedians often performed in the "Borscht Belt" resorts in the Catskills.
Even after the Thruway was built in 1953, the restaurant stayed popular. Vacationing in the Catskill Mountains became less common after the 1960s. Still, the Red Apple Rest remained very busy until the 1970s. In 1965, the restaurant served one million customers!
A Place for Performers
Comedians would often stop at the Red Apple Rest late at night. They would talk about their shows and share news about other performers. Author Lawrence J. Epstein wrote about this in his book, The Haunted Smile. He said it was a place where comedians could discuss their acts and even find new ideas.
The Red Apple Motel was located on a hill near the restaurant. Performers stayed there until the late 1970s. Some famous Rock and Roll musicians also stayed there when they had shows in New York City. The location was private, and the staff were often understanding or didn't know who was staying. Many well-known performers explored nearby Sterling Forest while waiting for their shows.
One famous guest was comedian George Carlin. He stayed in room 102 during his first week performing on Saturday Night Live. He liked quiet mornings to rest. However, he was very active with the staff at night. He would often try out new jokes with the night desk clerk.
The Restaurant Closes
After 53 years, the Freed family sold the Red Apple Rest in 1984. A new owner ran it for another 21 years. By then, it mostly served local people. The Catskills were not as popular a vacation spot anymore. The Red Apple Rest closed in September 2006.
The restaurant was featured in several movies. These include Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry, A Walk on the Moon, Tenderness, and Oliver's Story. It also appeared in Bill Griffith's comic strip Zippy in 2013.
Future Plans for the Site
In 2011, there was talk about opening a new restaurant at the Red Apple Rest site. A group of British business people were looking for a place for a new "Ace Eatery." They were inspired by a video they saw online. The Red Apple Rest was suggested as a possible spot for a restaurant aimed at bikers.
The town supervisor, Peter Dolan, said that about 17,000 bikes pass through Tuxedo in the summer. However, the old building needed a lot of repairs. There were also many other possible locations for the new restaurant. If the Red Apple Rest had been chosen, the new restaurant would have opened in 2012.
A Book About the Red Apple
Reuben Freed's youngest daughter, Elaine Freed Lindenblatt, wrote a book about the restaurant. It is called Stop at the Red Apple (SUNY Press, 2014). This book shares the story of the Red Apple Rest's more than 50-year history, from its busiest times and beyond.
